Find Your Model Number Before You Get a Repair Quote
The problem with "just give me a price"
If you have ever called around for a repair quote and gotten three different prices for what seems like the same device, you are not imagining it. The shops were probably not pricing the same device at all. They were guessing.
That is the tricky part about repair quotes. Two devices can look identical, feel identical, and even share the same marketing name, yet need completely different parts. A shop that quotes without the exact model is guessing, and a guess is how you end up with the wrong part, a revised price halfway through the job, or a repair that cannot be finished on the day.
Your model number ends the guessing. It is the one detail that pins your device down exactly, and it takes less than a minute to find. Here is why it matters so much, and where to find it on every device we fix.
Why identical-looking devices need different parts
Apple is the best example of this trap. Take the 13-inch MacBook Pro from the Touch Bar years. Models A1706, A1708, A1989, A2159, A2251, A2289, and A2338 all look alike at a glance. But A1708 is the only one with no Touch Bar. A2251 and A2289 differ by port count, two versus four. A2338 is the only Apple Silicon one of the group. Order a screen for the wrong one and it will not fit, no matter how similar the laptops look on the outside.
The same trap shows up everywhere. The MacBook Air A2337 and the MacBook Pro A2338 are easy to confuse, but they are different machines with different parts. The iMac models A1418 and A1419 each span many years, so the A-number alone is not enough there — you also need the year and whether the screen is Retina. Even the 14-inch MacBook Pro from the same year splits by chip: the base M3 is A2918 while the M3 Pro and Max are A2992.
Phones have their own version of this. An iPhone 14 is not one device, it is a family, and each member takes different parts. Samsung phones that share a name can carry different model codes with different screens. When a shop asks for your model number, it is not being difficult. It is the difference between an accurate quote and a guess.
What a model number looks like
On Apple devices, the model number usually begins with the letter A followed by four digits, like A2485 or A2442. That is the number we need, not the marketing name and not the serial number.
On Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, the model number looks like SM-S911U. On Google Pixel phones, it is a code starting with the letter G. On other Android devices it is usually labeled Model or Model number in the settings. Different formats, same job: identifying the exact device.
How to find it on your device
iPhone. Open Settings, then General, then About. You will see the Model Name and the Model Number. If the Model Number starts with the letter M, tap it once and it switches to the A number. That is the one we need. If the phone will not turn on, the model number is printed inside the SIM tray slot on iPhone 8 and later, and on the back near the bottom on older iPhones. It is also on the original box.
iPad. Open Settings, then General, then About, and tap the number once to see the A number. On iPads and MacBooks, it is typically printed on the back or underside of the device. The model number usually begins with the letter A followed by four digits, for example A2602. Look for small print near the bottom of the back.
MacBook. Flip it over: on iPads and MacBooks, it is typically printed on the back or underside of the device. The model number usually begins with the letter A followed by four digits, for example A2442. If it powers on, click the Apple menu and then About This Mac, which shows the model name, chip, and year. It is also on the original box, next to the barcode.
iMac. Look at the underside of the stand foot, where the model number is printed in small text. If it powers on, click the Apple menu and then About This Mac for the model name, chip, and year. It is also on the original box.
Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. Open Settings, then About phone or About tablet. You will see the product name and the Model number, which looks like SM-S911U. That is the one we need. It is also on the original box, and on some older models it is printed on the back or under the SIM card tray.
Google Pixel. Open Settings, then About phone. You will see the model name and the Model code starting with G. On some Pixels, tap Regulatory labels inside About phone if the model code is not shown. It is also on the original box.
Other Android phones and tablets. Open Settings, then About phone. On some brands it is About tablet or About device, sometimes under System first. Look for Model or Model number. If the screen is broken or the phone will not turn on, check the original box, or the small print on the back or under the SIM tray.
When the screen is broken or the device will not turn on
This is exactly when the model number matters most, and it is also when the settings menu is out of reach. That is why the printed numbers exist. Check the back or underside of the device, the SIM tray, the underside of the iMac stand foot, or the original box. If you have the device linked to your Apple account, the model shows up under your devices there too.
And here is the simplest trick of all: take a photo of the number you found, or of the back or underside of the device, and send it when you book. We will confirm the exact model before we quote, so there are no surprises later.
What to send when you book with Fix Vise
When you book at fixvise.com/book or call or text (979) 766-9228, send us two things: your model number and, if you are unsure, a photo of it. We will confirm the exact model, quote you up front, and come fix it on-site anywhere in Fort Worth and the DFW Metroplex. Repairs from Fix Vise start from $49.99, and your exact price depends on your model, which is exactly why the model number comes first. For real per-model prices, check our repair cost guides at fixvise.com/pricing. Repair time varies by repair type.
Getting the model number right is a one-minute job that saves everyone the most expensive part of a repair: doing it twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need my model number and not just "iPhone 14" or "MacBook Pro"?
Because those names cover whole families of devices that take different parts. The model number narrows it to one exact device, so the quote is for the right part the first time.
Where is the model number if my screen is cracked?
On the back or underside of the device, inside the SIM tray slot, on the underside of the iMac stand foot, or on the original box. If you can find any of those, send us a photo and we will read it for you.
My iPhone model number starts with M, not A. Is that wrong?
No, that is normal. Tap the number once in Settings, then General, then About, and it switches to the A number. That is the one we need.
I have two devices that look identical. Can they really need different parts?
Yes, and this is the most common cause of wrong quotes. The 13-inch MacBook Pro Touch Bar models are the classic example: seven lookalike models, different parts. The model number is what tells them apart.
Can you still quote me if I cannot find the number?
Yes. Send us a photo of the back or underside of the device when you book, along with anything the screen still shows, and we will confirm the exact model before we quote. You will never be charged for a part that does not fit your device.
Get Your Exact Quote
Find your model number using the steps above, then book online at fixvise.com/book or call or text (979) 766-9228. Send the number, or a photo of it, and we will confirm your model, quote you up front, and come fix it on-site anywhere in Fort Worth and the DFW Metroplex.
